Hey guys, this is Deepak here! Yesterday I got a chance to test ride the Kawasaki Ninja 250R! Me and my team mates went to Tiruppur yesterday on a business trip and we were surprised to see that our client owned this cool bike.
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The bike had done a few hundred kilometers as he had gone on a trip a few weeks back. Now his interest has shifted towards Royal Enfield Classic 500! He said he would be getting the thumper in another week!
We asked him whether we could take the Ninja 250R for a spin and he gladly said OK. We took it to the nearby 4 lane highway and each one of us (we were 3) had a ride.
First thing, when you ride this bike you will feel like a cool dude. Almost all the heads in the road will turn and it gives great satisfaction! We humans are attention hungry animals and we do weird things to get people’s attention towards us… riding a cool bike is one of them!
Second, I felt the power. Really really vroooom! What else can I say? I can put only so much of the feeling in words. 0 to X kmph in X seconds means nothing when you read it on a blog. It can only be felt. Its an emotion, not information. So try to get a ride on this bike as soon as you can at any cost. Beg, borrow or steal!
Then came a little disappointment. In terms of comfort, it cannot match with Karizma ZMR or Yamaha R15. I also feel that the engine is not refined enough to give a smooth ride. There are vibrations and long rides can be stressful. May be after a few thousand kms of riding the engine will get smoother but I am not sure.
The seating position is very ‘sporty’. You have to lean forward too much and if you are not used to riding such a bike you will start to feel discomfort in the shoulders as a part of your body weight rests on that.
The instrument panel is a disappointment… no digital stuff in a bike of this cost. If they had a glowing digital speedometer like the one in Civic, I would have appreciated it. I know this bike’s main focus is power but still seeing the analog meters feels like we are not contemporary.
This bike for a single rider… period. No exceptions. But if you are the ‘live life on the edge’ type, then you can consider sitting on the back seat. No one riding a Ninja 250 is going to go smooth and steady… they are gonna rev it and brake it often.
I did not even notice that the rear seat does not have grab rails and sat on it first. I had to hold on to my dear life for a few minutes before I forced my friend to drop me off before I get thrown off!
Another thing to be mentioned is that the rear view mirrors’ design is cool. Not the plain old oval thing. You can see that in the photos. Also the rear view mirrors can be folded to blend with the fairing like seen in the image below.
The ride is stable and the brakes are awesome. But you have to hold yourself tight while braking. There are no seat belts!
Last but not the least, after you finish riding it, the sound of the engine will stay in your mind. It is unlike any other sound you would have heard. You can hear that in the video that I have posted here!
- Deepak
Editor – BikeAdvice
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Awesome stuff Deepak, the sound and acceleration of this bike is something out of this world but as you said better instrumentation should have been there.
Also I would like to see more colours.
Try riding a 600-1000 cc Super Sports bike to appreciate what “uncomfortable’ riding position is about.
Whats the MILEAGE??
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Just kidding..Yeah 250R is an attention magnet especially in our country!
@ Payeng…
Dude, this is india and no where u will find excellent roads to actually feel the ride of super sports bike u mentioned. very sad to hear Mr. Deepak, this bike lacks refinement.
this bike is priced very high and in return u get outdated instrumentation. no color options, only black and green. like moto gp bikes, ninja should have glossy colors.
Indeed! this bike costs a bomb n such shortcomings r big dissappointment leaving analog console coz i m not fan of digital one:)
bajaj ninja is too sexy bike..very lucky man you are to get the taste of drive.
@Laxmi, there are well laid out national highways to ride if one can AFFORD a super sports bike.
I have ridden the Ninja 250R and I have found it much more refined than the Karizma or R15, even at speeds of 130 kmph.
Hello Deepak & all my other Amigos!
I have driven almost all bikes in the 150-250cc segment that are manufactured in India; I currently own the Kawasaki Ninja 250cc & have clocked more than 2500kms on it.
This article is greatly appreciated. However, there are a few things that I’ll have to contradict.
1. Though ZMR & R15 are both really good in their segment, their comparison with Ninja 250 is unbelievable & absolutely unjustified. Ninja is much more powerful, faster, stable, reliable & easy to handle.
2. Long rides (on highways) are an absolute delight (atleast for the rider). If somebody finds it stressful, don’t think he’s passionate at all about sport bikes.
3. Iam a Mechanical Engr. & believe me when I say the Ninja is 1 of the most stable bikes around; it’s “parallel twin engine” has minimal vibrations.
4. The handlebar has been raised a fraction for the version being sold in India, making your back a little more upright & the ride more comfortable. There’s absolutely no discomfort in d shoulders or even the back.
5. Yes, I too was a little disappointed with the analogue instrument panel. However, when the speedometer needle zooms from 0 to 100 is a delightful feeling.
6. The Mileage is about 25km/L in city conditions & about 31km/L on highways.
@Deepak: Mate, you need to be more relaxed while riding & passionate about bikes. I strongly recommend you be dressed in a better attire next time you are riding; wear a jacket & shoes for heaven’s sake!
Finally, The Ninja 250R is sure expensive at INR 3Lakhs. But if you love riding, it’s worth even more! It’s not without reason that this warrior is easily the world’s most selling 250cc bike.
it is a good bike but price is too stiff & Kawasaki always make lil outdated products when compared to yamaha or honda.
Eagerly awaiting the Yamaha R6 launch. The showroom guys have even got the brochures for R6. Yamaha dont make it too long launch it asap. I may be your first customer if the price is reasonable.
Couldn’t agree on refinement of engine. May be due to running period of the bike. This bike is sure every serious bike would dream of in India(600,800 and litre bikes are beyond reach- monetary and road condition wise). The only problem is dated Analogue console.
plp complaining abt analogue cluster is so very amateurish…
a analogue will hardly cost anything to the maker wen he is charging a whooping 3lakhs…a bike as small as disc 135 has a digital console
guys u dont knw how to njoy or get thrilled…the boring digital meter only gives u increasing numbers….hav u ever seen a needle shooting up…0-60 in less than 4secs
some of the best selling bikes/cars in world hav analogue clusters…
i feel tis digital thing is over-hyped/rated
Correction
“a digital will hardly cost anything to the maker wen he is charging a whooping 3lakhs…a bike as small as disc 135 has a digital console”
this bike is very comfortable
hie there
i am very much interested in buying ninja 250r ,just wanna know how is the after sale service ?? one service cost how much ??, and is the spare parts of ninja is available in india ?
regards
anil bhushan
superbike………………………
can the outdated instrumentation in the ninja be updated with an aftermarket modern analog dials???
Phoenix,
I totally agree with you. I have seen the history and making of ninja family and I am sure you feel proud to be owner of such a beauty. I am a great bike lover who did few long trips like 19 hr driving a day, but never get a chance to drive a super bike. I always think to buy ninja 250 but because of its high cost. I am a s/w engg and earning good salary. Do you think Ninja 250 is a worth to buy in such a high price or I should wait because Honda have just launched CBR 250 and I am sure more bike campiness are going to work in this segment.
Thanks
Neo
riding the bike with sleepers …… what a joker …… i don’t want to read anything from this man
Deepak, its an absolute disgrace to the Ninja Family.. stop riding the bike in such pathetic costumes. i have done close to 25000 Kms with NInja 250R. Nothing beats its performance at any cost.. no indian bikes can even come close to the stuff which this bike holds..
Completely agree with Phoenix.
@Neo, Please don even bother comparing this awsome machine with a CBR 250, CBR is an absolute gimmick .. the ABS Version exceeds more than 2Lks.. its really not worth shelling so much for a single cylinder machine.. put some more money.. and get the baby NInja.. am sure you will not regrett it..
I am waiting for a test drive of CBR 250 in my city (Jaipur), then i will decide which bike i should bought. No doubt Ninja 250r is a dream come true but the cost is really very high due to import duty etc, where the CBR 250 is going to built in India. I had a test drive of Ninja and I can’t stop my self thinking about it but again due to its cost it seems very far from my budget.
Anyway.. I am not impressed with the look of new CBR 250 becuase its Red colour look like the small bikes which I have seen in Thailand. But hope when i saw its black clour in practical might be i will be able to change my thoughts.
Phoenix , I just booked my ninja today and I cant describe the feeling, its totally priceless.. And Deepak, Phoenix is right the next time you take that bike out at least wear the right gear for it.. Agreed its expensive but the price is nothing when it comes to the passion of owning that amazing machine.. Its a dream only a true biker can achieve.